PS4 Pro: How much will it cost and what games are coming?

PS4 Neo: Slideshow leaks console's full power

15 July

A leaked PowerPoint presentation of Sony's upcoming PlayStation 4 Neo console has given gamers an insight into the ins and outs of the machine.

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The slideshow appears to be at least a few months old as it pre-dates the company's name change from Sony Computer Entertainment to Sony Interactive Entertainment, says Lazygamer.

It's thought these are the documents acquired by Giant Bomb earlier this year that were responsible for kicking off rumours of a 4K-capable PlayStation.

They're now available to flick through online and have been posted to Scribd.

What do the slides tell us?

There's really very little new information beyond what has already been said about the Neo, although the slides do clearly outline the new console's specifications.

For instance, the CPU will use the Jaguar cores from the original PS4, but with a higher clock speed of 2.1GHz. The GPU is an improved version, though, with 2.3x more computing power. The same 8GB GDDR5 RAM will be on board, although with higher memory throughput at 218 gigabits per second.

It all adds up to a console with just under 4.2 teraflops of computing power – twice as powerful on paper as the standard PS4.

It is also laid out clearly that the Neo isn't a replacement for the PS4. It's described as a "high-end version" of the console designed to co-exist in the same marketplace, with the same online community and players.

All PlayStation 4 titles released from October onwards will support both the original PS4 system and the Neo, strongly suggesting a release will happen shortly before the end of the year and an unveil soon. Games released in September will come with day 1 patches when the Neo does arrive.

The slides also directly address players who might buy the console despite not owning a 4K television, saying that on a HDTV set, there will still be additional improvements, such as higher and more stable framerates, as well as improved graphics and additional features.

PS4 Neo won't hit the PlayStation 4, says executive

23 June

PlayStation gamers have nothing to fear from the PlayStation 4 Neo, a company executive has announced.

The existence of the new console was confirmed by Sony president Andrew House during an interview with the Financial Times ahead of this year's E3 exposition.

Now PlayStation Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has confirmed the Neo will not replace the PS4. Nor will its arrival mean the lifecycle for the existing console will be reduced, allaying fan fears that it would devalue the current platform or even kill it off altogether.

"PS4 is PS4," said Yoshida, in an interview with German games website Gameswelt.tv. "The new high-end PS4 is still PS4, so you know the lifecycle is not going to be shorter."

With both Sony and Microsoft intent on releasing more powerful versions of their existing games consoles, many gamers feel a seismic shift has begun in the way the platforms are developed and sold.

As GameSpot says, new consoles with upgraded hardware are typically released with several years between them, creating generations. It took Sony seven years to replace the PS3 with the PS4, while Microsoft waited eight to introduce the Xbox One after 2005's Xbox 360.

The arrival of the PS4 Neo and Microsoft's Xbox Scorpio, as they are currently known, could fire the starting gun on a completely new upgrade cycle. Rather than focusing on extensive overhauls with brand new devices after a handful of years, consoles could become more like smartphones, with regular developments unveiled that are compatible with more than one device.

The PS4 and PS4 Neo are designed to work alongside each other and play the same games. PS4 gamers will play within the same framework as those on Neo, although those with the upgraded console will have better-looking games in 4K resolution.

According to Alphr, it's possible the Neo could be released later this year, possibly to coincide with the release of the PlayStation VR headset.

As for the Xbox Scorpio, the Daily Telegraph says it won't launch until late next year.

This sort of "technical leap mid-cycle is unprecedented", adds the paper, but rather than signalling a sea-change transformation in how consoles are sold, it could just be a one-off for this generation, who are desperate to take advantage of 4K televisions and virtual reality headsets.

It's a theory that fits in with Yoshida's words, as it accounts for a return to normality for the PS4 lifecycle.

PlayStation 4K: 'PS4.5' is on the way, say reports

20 April

It's been barely three years since Sony revealed its eighth generation PlayStation 4 console, but rumours suggest that a new, upgraded PlayStation 4 and a half could be on shelves very soon.

The first reports of a PlayStation 4K – or PS4.5, as some are calling it – came via Kotaku in March, who were told by "developer sources" that Sony had briefed game developers on the console and its power boost.

According to the site, the PS4.5 will have an upgraded CPU to support 4K gaming as well as more power to enhance games that can be played with Sony's virtual reality headset, which is set to launch this October.

At present, the standard PlayStation 4 console can support 4K photos and video playback, but not games. Unlocking 4K gameplay would allow developers to "push more effects and other graphical tweaks to make their games look better".

The virtual reality power boost aspect isn't being undersold here, neither. The headlines may be focussed on the 4K resolution, but a more powerful GPU would allow the £350 PlayStation VR to become even more competitive compared to the more expensive headsets designed for use with PCs, such as the £689 HTC Vive and the £499 Oculus Rift.

Since the initial rumours, further details have been procured by Giant Bomb, including specifications and answers to questions over how Sony would sell the PS4K while keeping the lesser specced PS4 on sale.

According to "multiple sources", the PS4.5 is currently being referred to as the NEO. Alongside the upgraded GPU, it should also get a higher memory bandwidth and clock speed for faster processing performance.

Most interestingly, though, is how it will operate alongside the current PlayStation offering – Giant Bomb claims that every PS4 game will be required to run in both a "base mode" and a new, uprated and upscaled mode especially for the new console.

Despite this, the PS4.5 is designed to co-exist with the current console rather than dethrone it. Both systems will use the same PSN store and network and NEO gamers won't be separated from those sticking with the 2013 hardware.

Eurogamer offers a different angle, though, which could stop the PS4.5 bandwagon in its tracks. Sony has released "slim" versions of its previous consoles, introducing a new, smaller form factor instead of comprehensively changing how games work. While the noise surrounding a 4K PlayStation is deafening, it could just be that the company is following the same path it has for years, with a slimmed down version of its current console.